LifeVac saved 12 lives from choking in 2018!
2018 was a great year for LifeVac - it saved 12 lives from choking to death! From the beginning LifeVac has now saved a total of 25 lives from choking to death when standard BLS has failed in the USA, UK, Canada, Spain, Greece and Albania.
LifeVac also saved it’s first child last year so LifeVac has now covered ages ranges from 3 years old to 96 years of age.
Our most recent life saved was on the 6th of January by EKAB ambulance service. This was an 86 year old man who choked on chunks of meat. BLS was carried out which failed, the 86 year old gentleman had a full airway blockage. EKAB paramedics used LifeVac which dislodged a large chunk of meat and the gentleman was able to start breathing but complained of feeling uncomfortable and wheezing. The gentleman was taken to hospital to be checked over. It was determined he had more food in his lower airway, LifeVac was used again by the clinical team where another large chunk of meat was dislodged. The gentleman fully recovered with no adverse effects.
The Lifevac is a non-powered single patient portable suction apparatus developed for resuscitating a choking victim when standard choking protocol has been followed without success. LifeVac helps reviving a choking victim once the standard procedure of clearing the mouth of debris and the Heimlich maneuver have failed. The device is simple to use and may be the last resort to revive a choking victim when death is imminent. The unit consists of a plastic plunger with a one way valve and a facemask that attaches to the plunger.
LifeVac is designed with a patented valve to prevent any air from exiting through the mask. This patented designed valve prevents air from pushing food or objects downward. This creates a one-way suction to remove the lodged food or object.
The negative pressure generated by the force of the suction is 3 times greater (over 300 mmhg of suction) than the highest recorded choke pressure. The duration of suction is minimal so LifeVac is safe and effective.